Predators miss mark when it comes to Austin Watson

This is what NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement after deciding to suspend Predators forward Austin Watson 27 games without pay:

“I have determined that Nashville Player Austin Watson engaged in a physical confrontation with his domestic partner,” Bettman said of Watson, who pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor domestic assault in July. “Today’s ruling, while tailored to the specific facts of this case and the individuals involved, is necessary and consistent with the NHL’s strongly held view that it cannot and will not tolerate this and similar types of conduct.”

The Nashville Predators held a press conference following the NHL's 27-game suspension give to Austin Watson.

Nashville Tennessean

The witness who called police on June 16 said she saw Watson “swat” his girlfriend, the mother of their young child, at a Franklin gas station that day. Watson’s girlfriend told police that Watson “sometimes gets handsy” and, after she initially denied that he touched her, admitted later in the interview with police that he caused scratches on her chest.

Predators forward Austin Watson

Predators forward Austin Watson

Kim Klement / USA TODAY Sports

This is what the Predators said in a statement about Watson after the NHL handed down its punishment: “During his suspension, we wish Austin, Jenn and their baby the best as they take the necessary steps to move forward.”

And this is my question: Is it OK to be mad at Austin Watson?

The Predators sure are going through a lot of trouble for him without condemning his role in this awful situation, even though the league just hammered him. Thursday was the first media availability of training camp for a team that counts as one of the NHL’s top contenders for the Stanley Cup, yet the result was a tense Bridgestone Arena press conference with President and CEO Sean Henry and general manager David Poile answering all Watson questions.

This, from Henry, is the closest anyone came to chiding Watson for this mess when asked if they are upset with him: “Well, of course. You look at what happened earlier this summer, it was not a good situation, by anyone’s admission, by anyone’s view. No one involved with it thinks differently than that.”

Then Henry continued: “But when you looked throughout the course of the summer, how open everyone was with us, and how people looked into the incident, it made you feel a little bit better on how we had to move forward from this.”

The Predators did say they support the suspension. Had they bought out the remaining two years of Watson’s three-year, $3.3 million contract this summer when they could have and should have, they would not be figuring out how to manage without Watson for one-third of the season (assuming an NHL Players’ Association appeal on Watson’s behalf fails as expected), and they would not have this as a potential distraction all season. They also would have had time to address that roster hole properly.

They would be able to address victims of domestic violence, an issue that is central to this organization’s community outreach efforts, and say: “We have moved on from Austin Watson because we have zero tolerance for anything remotely related to domestic violence, period.”

Instead, Henry had to address the organization’s decision in front of about 500 people Thursday at a gathering for AMEND Together, a program started by the YWCA of Nashville and Middle Tennessee. AMEND Together seeks to end domestic violence by focusing on men and boys, targeting negative stereotypes of women and girls that start early, often in sports. It focuses on what people say and how that can lead to negative actions.

Henry said his organization will continue its efforts to fight domestic violence – efforts that have included more than $500,000 donated to AMEND Together – and it should. But the decision to keep Watson will be heard by many people as just another rationalization from another sports team protecting its own.

And make no mistake, Watson matters a lot to this team. He is a valuable role player at a bargain price. He was Nashville’s best player last spring in a first-round playoff victory over the Colorado Avalanche. There are other teams that gladly would have him.

He’s also beloved in the Predators locker room. The rest of the team showed up to the press conference and lined the back of the room, with captain Roman Josi saying the team “does not condone domestic violence” and will continue to support AMEND Together and Watson.

Support for Watson was a primary theme. Sympathy, even.

“If something happened to your own child, this situation, what would you do?” Poile said. “I think you would do everything you could to rehabilitate your child or make the situation whole. I’m hoping at the end of the day that maybe this is a blessing. That maybe this is what was meant to be for a lot of reasons, and there’s going to be a good outcome here for Austin and Jenn and their baby. It’s a very difficult situation; it’s a private situation; and we’re the family that’s going to do our best to try to take care of this.”

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The fact that part of Watson’s sentence includes an inpatient treatment program for drugs and alcohol might put that quote, which is sure to outrage some people, in some context. It does not excuse Watson. It does not make this a situation that “happened” to him.

I don’t know this for sure – just as none of us will never know exactly what went on that day between Watson and his girlfriend – but I don’t think the Predators would stand by just anyone in a situation like this.

They’ve decided to stand by Watson. It would be nice to hear more disapproval for what he did.

Maybe he can hold himself accountable, whenever he’s made available to speak.